Deru Johnson to lead annual MLK parade

When the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Steering Committee announced that Deru Johnson would lead Saturday's parade, it seemed only fitting.

Johnson has made a career of community service in a truly unconventional sense. Though she has never held political office, she has made herself relevant in the Thompson-Snodgrass Park community, where she has lived for more than three decades. She moved to Alliance at age 4, graduating from Alliance High School in 1957.

After serving as the first black treasurer of the State Street School PTA, Johnson has been an active member of New Zion Baptist Church and its Morning Prayer Band. However, in addition to her love of Christ, it is through her involvement with the Thompson-Snodgrass Park Association that she truly made her mark, serving as a persistent reminder to city officials to "get things done in her park."

She and her husband, Kenneth, have three children, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Describing the park as one of the loves of her life, Johnson has made it a priority to keep drugs out of the park and make it a safe haven for all children.

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Johnson's philosophy is "Jesus loves all the children of the world: red, brown, yellow, black and white. They all are precious in His sight."

She also is involved with the American Post 791 Ladies Auxiliary, the Alliance chapter of the NAACP and Alliance Area Senior Center.

This year's MLK parade queen is Shania Mays, the daughter of Josaiah and Raelynn Mays. Serving as captain for the Alliance High School girls' basketball team, Mays also participated with the Big Brothers-Big Sisters mentoring program, the Aviators' Peer Pilots and the Make A Difference Club.

She managed to carry a 3.48 grade point average while being involved at school and in her church, First Friends Church, where she participates in youth activities and volunteers with child care.

Aaron Hill Jr., son of Pastor Aaron Hill and Sarita Hill, is the 2014 MLK king. He also excelled in athletics at AHS, with his sport of choice being bowling, serving as a three-year letterman. Hill also was a star member of the IT Team, but it was through the Aviator Peer Pilots program that he found his true strength: helping others.

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He is a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church, where he was raised in a Christian environment that showed what true belief and persistence can bring, just like King.

Lineup for the parade is at 11 a.m. The parade begins at noon.

The route will travel north on MLK Boulevard over the Dr. MLK Viaduct to Patterson Street, east on Patterson Street, north on Oak Street, east on Reed Street to Maple Beach Park, where the parade is to conclude around 1:30 p.m.

A dozen vendors will be on hand, selling food items and distributing information.

Along the parade route, units can hand out candy and political items. Water will be available to marchers in front of the Brothers of the Hammer clubhouse.